Traditional Customs: from theory to practice

O Learned and Devoted Servants of God, [April 27, 2012 Evening] The Gita says ‘svalpa mapyasya dharmasya…’. It means that something is better than nothing. Based on this point, our traditional customs are built up, which should not be mocked as illogical and blind. Our tradition says that you should offer any food or drink to God before you enjoy it. Offering to God is theoretical and not practical. You should not say that the theoretical step is useless. Offering to God develops your theoretical devotion to God. Of course, theory does not yield any fruit. But, theory on constant theoretical practice of offering in long time at least has a chance of generating the practical offering. The theory follows the soul even after death, which may result in practice in the next birth. Practical devotion yields real fruits, but theoretical devotion leads to practical devotion in course of time. Without theory, there is no practical. The practical sacrifice is very difficult for the ordinary human beings without the ripening of spiritual knowledge. The offering of food to the statues and photos generates the theoretical devotion, which in course of time results in the practical offering of food to some deserving person in the name of God.

God exists in the human incarnation. God also identifies Himself with the devotees and therefore, there is no difference between God and God’s devotee. God is also pleased when you offer the food to hungry poor people in the name of God. The offering of the food to the statue may look like cheating because the food is not really taken by God. But, it has its own good side. It develops the devotion to God in the mind of devotee. It is the beginning stage of devotion. Any action in the beginning stage is associated with defects as said in the Gita (sarvaarambhaahi…). In spite of the defects, there is the good angle that every development has to come from its beginning stage only. Beginning is inevitable for the development. Therefore, the beginning should not be criticized and mocked, which may give negative effect. The devotee may be discouraged and the development of his devotion may be arrested. At the same time, if the devotee sits in the beginning stage only for a long time, constructive criticism can be given so that the devotee enters the practical devotion without further delay. Your criticism should uplift the devotee. It should not degrade the devotee from the beginning stage itself.

The devotee may not practically sacrifice the food, but, such devotee is better than an atheist, who neither sacrifices nor at least offers the food to God. The atheist may practically offer the food to some hungry poor person without the name of the God. He is rewarded with a temporary stay in the heaven. A devotee may not practically sacrifice the food, but offering it to the God is certainly a beginning step for the permanent upliftment. Therefore, a devotee with theoretical devotion is better than the atheist with the practical sacrifice. Certainly, by the grace of the God, the devotee also will enter into the stage of practical sacrifice as said in the Gita (kshipram bhavati dharmaatmaa …).

At the lotus feet of Shri Datta Swami

-Durgaprasad